Final Fantasy VII: Jewel of Destiny
by Cloud5
Summary: This can be considered an epilogue to the greatest rpg of all time. The story starts near the end of the game. I made a few significant changes especially in the erros in the naming of towns since the last update
1. Chapter 1: The Forgotten Past

Final Fantasy VII: Jewel of Destiny  
  
By: Cloud^  
  
Contents  
  
Some Important Terms  
  
Chapter 1 The Forgotten Planet  
  
Chapter 2 Dark Tidings  
  
Chapter 3 The Truth of the Past  
  
Chapter 4 Reminiscence  
  
Chapter 5 Two Warriors  
  
Chapter 6 Dreams of the Planet  
  
Chapter 7 Farewell…Aerith  
  
Disclaimer  
  
Some Important Terms  
  
Cetra- Also known as the Ancients, the Cetra look pretty much like human beings, but they have extraordinary magical skills. They existed thousands of years ago and are believed to be extinct.  
  
Forgotten Capital- A large abandoned city believed to have once been the capital city of the Ancients.   
  
Highwind- A huge airship originally owned by the Shinra Corporation. Cloud and his companions stole it during one of their tussles with Shinra.  
  
Jenova- A living being preserved for 2000 years and believed to be a Cetra.  
  
Lifestream- The lifeblood of the planet. It is located in the core of the planet and is what allows it to maintain it's natural balance. Though it is considered as the source of life, the tremendous energy that it harbors is hazardous to biological beings. The lifestream also contains all the knowledge that the planet has accumulated during the course of it's life.  
  
Magical Terms (Fire, Fire2 etc.)- Materia has different levels of abilities depending on which enemies it has been used on. The higher the number next to the name of the magical attack, the more powerful it is.  
  
Mako Energy- The processed form of the planet's spirit energy. The Shinra Corporation invented Mako Reactors to harness this energy and it replaced all other sources of fuel. Though Mako Energy is powerful, when used it does not return to the planet and is lost forever.  
  
Masamune- Sephiroth's sword. It is long, sharp with only one edge. It looks very much like a Japanese sword. It possesses unknown powers in the hands of Sephiroth.  
  
Materia- The crystallized form of Mako Energy containing the knowledge of the ancients. Materia are used in combat, granting the user enhanced or new abilities. Materia has different properties depending on its color. Green is magic materia. Blue is support materia. Yellow is command materia. Red is summon materia etc.  
  
Shinra- A corporation specializing in manufacturing weapons and seeking to control the world.   
  
Sister Ray- A huge cannon approximately the size of a five story building used by Shinra in strategic assaults. The name was given by Scarlet, an influential woman within Shinra.  
  
SOLDIER- Shinra's elite task force. Only the finest men are accepted. Members of SOLDIER or those aspiring to be one are infused with Mako Energy giving their eyes a pale blue color.  
  
Spirit Energy- The energy that all living things possess. When a creature dies, it's spirit energy is returned to the planet through the lifestream, to be reused when a new life is born. If a planet's spirit energy is depleted, it would crumble and plummet into oblivion.  
  
Weapon- The planet's natural antibodies believed to have originated from the Lifestream. Once awakened, Weapon's only goal is to destroy whatever is threatening the life of the planet.  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 The Forgotten Planet  
  
The young boy sifted through the piles of debris and dust-covered articles within basement of the abandoned mansion, he came upon a small book bound by thick layers of wood and fabric. Small insects flew up and scattered everywhere as he carefully lifted the cover out of curiosity. The weathered pages, almost disintegrating with age, revealed a tragic yet memorable tale. The story of a doomed planet and the fate of the people who lived through its dying days…  
  
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"How long ago has it been? These days, I'm even losing track of time. I can still remember how we first met. On that day, the skies were troubled just as they are right now. Or perhaps… it was my mind that was unsettled.   
  
I wonder, can you still feel it? The thrill of rushing into battle knowing that death could come at a split-second? Those days, I never felt more alive. Then again, maybe it was all a dream.  
  
Still… I know one thing. That you were there…   
  
That you existed...  
  
…Aerith  
  
……………………………..Aerith."  
  
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Cloud walked slowly along the edges grasping the guard rails of the "Highwind." A lingering sensation of intense pain pulsed through his head as he paced the deck of the huge airship. A flux of green, red and blue light danced before his eyes. "These…visions…dreams….I've been haunted by these images ever since that day." He paused and gritted his teeth with fury and guilt. "That day that Aerith…"   
  
"Are you gonna stand around here all day talking to yourself?" A voice interrupted. Cloud turned around and saw that it was Tifa, seated on the roof of the Highwind's cabin smirking in a self-aggrandizing way at him. She jumped off and landed lightly on the wooden floor deck. " What's up? You look like a walking zombie. I was afraid you might fall off the ship."   
  
"Visions…I've been having a recurring dream every night ever since we left the Forgotten Capital."   
  
"A dream? Do you think you could share it with your childhood friend?" Tifa purposely ignored the fact that Aerith was killed at the Forgotten Capital partly because of jealousy and partly because, neither her or Cloud wanted to remember the atrocious way their friend was murdered.   
  
Cloud stared at her skeptically and Tifa glanced back with pretentiously innocent eyes then, he began to speak. " I don't know exactly how or when it starts. All that I can remember, is that multiple shades of light invade my eyes at its onset. The lights begin to clear up and are replaced by total darkness. Then, slowly, three visions that seem to take place simultaneously emerge. Out of these images, one is of me and my friend Zack before his death, except this time my mind was not fogged up by Mako Energy. I saw quite clearly that he was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't read his lips and no voice could be heard as he gradually grew weaker. Another image that somehow happens simultaneously with the vision of Zack, is of a young girl with golden hair set with a tiara adorned with a single white gem. Her emerald-green eyes seem to look intently into mine. Her eyes burn with fiery red patterns that continuously change, yet it didn't seem strange to me. I don't know how, but her eyes had the same serenity as Aerith's."   
  
"Oh…." Tifa interrupted, as she drew imaginary circles on the flooring with her feet.   
  
Cloud continued his story. " The last overlapping image is the most significant and confusing to me. I see a town engulfed in flames much like the one that consumed Nibelheim 5 years ago. Then `he' would be standing amidst the blazes. That monster…Sephiroth! In this vision, I noticed a different side of Sephiroth. His eyes were filled with intense emotion…fear. Sephiroth's entire body was trembling as he raised his Masamune to confront an unkown adversary. In this dream, I would always look up and see the figure of a huge dark crimson dyed monster. Sephiroth, would gaze upon the monster with a mixture of fear and anxiousness in his eyes, muttering words that are foreign to me. The only words that I could grasp were, `Sardius….give me the power….Sardius…Sardius.' then a white light would engulf everything like it was trying to erase that scene from my memories." Tifa closed her eyes in deep thought for a moment and finally said.   
  
"This dream seems to mean a lot to you. To tell you the truth, I've been a little bit worried about you. You've never opened up to any of us until now, so it's hard for anyone in our group to tell what you're thinking. You're too determined to finish whatever task you set for yourself. Look Cloud, the whole world is right before us." Tifa was now scanning the moving scenery that the Highwind presented them. "It doesn't matter if you feel confused or lost sometimes. We're still young and I think it's important to feel that way sometimes."   
  
Cloud's eyes were wide with a look of sudden enlightenment. His expression softened and he cast a glance at the vast world below them.   
  
"You're right Tifa… Thanks for cheering me up." 


	2. Chapter 2: Dark Tidings

Chapter 2 Dark Tidings  
  
The Highwind now sped quickly over the Gold Saucer, the world's largest amusement park. Tifa and Cloud were looking intently at the huge structure, recalling all the fun times that they had shared there during their long journey. Everything would be coming to an end in an instant should they lose to Sephiroth. Both of them were aware that the final battle was drawing ever closer. The huge airship now moved past the town of sorrow, Gongaga. Tifa realized that these moments would be their last few hours together. She shut her eyes and covered them slightly with her left hand to shield it from the debris carried by the wind that suddenly grew stronger as they neared Red XIII's home, Cosmo Canyon.   
  
  
  
"Look Cloud! Can you see it? Just a little bit further, it's our hometown, Nibelheim!" Cloud stared coldly at the town in the distance that had only given him bitter memories, apart from his short-lived childhood with his mother and Tifa. " I was a lot taller than you back then."   
  
"Yeah…" Cloud replied. "Still….we were never that close. I don't even understand why I made you give me that promise. Maybe it's because… I felt a certain sense of importance as I talked to you. You never talked much to any of the kids in our neighborhood including me, but looking at you made me feel that I needed to protect you. Of course, I knew that you could take care of yourself. I guess I was using you as a scapegoat to help me forget the sorrow of my mother's death, but I was wrong. You are strong Cloud and that's why you were able to come back and keep your promise."  
  
"I see." Cloud intoned. "Back then…." (covered in-game.)  
  
  
  
"On that day…12 years ago. We were young, innocent and helpless. So far from the way we are now. I would have been happier if we had lived only in that moment forever, but we must go forward now and face whatever fate has in store for us." Tifa was leaning on the rails of the airship and seemed devoid of energy as she said this. "That's not true Tifa" Cloud replied. "Our lives aren't at the mercy of fate. It's just like this ship we're riding, it can be pounded and battered over and over again by the fierce winds, rain or thunderstorms, but it never really surrenders itself, or the lives of its passengers to the mercy of the elements." He paused for awhile and then continued. "Tifa, do you know why I came back and kept my promise that time? It wasn't because I was strong, as you said before."   
  
Tifa's eyes sparkled with life at his words. Mixed emotions of anxiety and enthusiasm coursed through her entire body. Her breathing became slightly heavier with anticipation. Finally, Cloud said hesitantly " I returned because…" but before he could finish, the Highwind made a sudden turn that threw them both off their feet. The ship began to fly at great speed, erratically in multiple directions. They both held on to the metal bars of the guard rails. The ship's movements became more violent and some of its wooden floorboards were ripped off by the sharp gusts of wind generated by the swift movement of its own huge frame.   
  
For at least five minutes the ship continued its deadly dance through the sky and then, it halted as abruptly as it had begun. Fortunately, the airship flew at a great height that kept it safe from any obstacles. If any of the people in the towns below had seen the Highwind's dodgy flight, they would have thought it some great winged beast injured from its hunt, for what was visible through human eyes looking up from the ground was a dark shadow no bigger than a lump of coal.   
  
Tifa and Cloud steadied themselves on the tattered remains of the ship's wooden floor. "What was that all about?" asked Tifa. Then, suddenly the violent dance began again. To Tifa, who was still holding on tightly to the strong metal rails, it felt like an aerial earthquake, if that was possible. Again, the ship halted sharply, hurling wooden and metal parts overboard. " That was a close one. You all right Cloud?" but there was no answer and Tifa realized in horror that the sturdy metal bar that Cloud had been holding on to was now ripped from its base.  
  
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Awakened from his quarters by the sudden tremors, Barret got up from his bed and stepped hastily into the ship's bridge. His keen mind, which had experienced as many battles and tragedies as his sturdy, muscular physique, quickly surveyed the situation. Cid was marching slowly and deliberately around the room, shouting orders left and right to the ship's handful of technicians and to the rookie pilot controlling the ship. Vincent was standing on an isolated corner in front of the room staring blankly at the unsettling scenery and seemed impervious to the Highwind's restless movements. Red XIII (Nanaki) was seated quietly on the floor not far from Vincent. Cait Sith, was busy encouraging everyone and trying to use his knowledge of machines to aid the panic-stricken crew. "Hmm…so that leaves Cloud, Tifa and Yuffie… Hey Cid, what's goin on here?" Inquired Barret. "Why the hell should I tell YOU!" Roared Cid. He had stopped in his tracks and his facial expression indicated that he was annoyed that Barret had the nerve to ask him such a trivial question and thus delay him from doing his job of keeping the ship and its passengers safe as captain of the Highwind. Barret was surprised but not rattled by Cid's discourteous manner and his cold penetrating gaze. He saw no reason for such rudeness and felt that it was Cid's duty as the captain to keep the passengers well informed on the status of the ship. Red XIII felt the growing tension between the two well-built men. He stretched his long cat-like legs and lazily turned towards them, but he wasn't going to stop a fight if it was about to occur. He was just a spectator and it would be a welcome change of pace from the boredom of air travel. He wagged his fiery tail happily. "This is getting interesting." He muttered to himself.   
  
"Hey…..urk! What's up with all this shaking and rolling? I'm getting even more airsick!" Said Yuffie, as she barged in pushing Barret and Cid aside to the surprise of everyone in the bridge. "Can't somebody do something about this flying disaster before I….URP!!!"   
  
"Shut up! Ya little thief! @#$& come waltzin in here like some sorta @#%#% Who do you think you are anyway?" Cid said gruffly. "Whaaaaat! What did you say old man!? You'd better speak more clearly or I might give you a shave, your nose hairs are sticking out and are muffling every monosyllabic word you say." Yufffie shot back forgetting her airsickness. "Sonuva$#!@# Why don't you butt out you materia-monger! This is between me and Cid!" Yelled Barret.   
  
"This is getting even more interesting." Red XIII remarked to himself aloud, as he observed the three bickering. Then, mysteriously the ship stopped shaking, to the relief of the entire crew on board the Highwind. "Uh..excuse me everyone." Cait Sith interrupted. "WHAT!!!" yelled Barret, Cid and Yuffie. "Please take a look at the radar." He pointed his artificial stuffed toy arm at a large blip on the radar, that was being monitored by one of the technicians. "I've been studying the movement of the ship, ever since we lost control. We've been moving around quite a bit but it seems like an unknown energy is slowly drawing us closer to this point." "Hrumph, that area should be somewhere near Gongaga. Maybe… a reaction to the Mako energy contained inside that reactor in the center of town." Cid pointed out. "I dunno man." Barret responded. "That reactor hasn't been used for a long time. It couldn't possibly contain enough energy to interfere with the controls of this ship."   
  
"He..Hey! We're moving again!" Squealed Yuffie. The airship vibrated more ferociously this time, though it wasn't long before it again halted. "Well…it seems to have settled down." Said Red XIII.   
  
"Indeed it has." Vincent spoke in his inhumanly cold voice. "Man Vincent, You haven't spoken for so long that I forgot you had vocal chords. Or something equal to that anyway." Said Yuffie. "Barret, you said earlier that Gongaga's Mako reactor could not contain energy sufficient enough to dictate the passage of this vessel. If so, you underestimate the power of Mako. It is the lifestream of the planet, its energy does not diffuse as easily as other sources of power. " Vincent lectured while ignoring Yuffie. His shadowy gaze remained transfixed outside.   
  
"I would also bring to your attention, that as I observed the outer surface through this window, Cloud fell off the ship not too long ago. "What!?" Everyone in the group excluding Vincent yelled in shock. "Cloud!!!!!" A shrill voice echoed from above. "That would be Tifa." Vincent added expressionlessly.   
  
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The air offered little resistance to Cloud's body, which had been traveling downwards rapidly for about ten seconds now. Tifa's outstretched hand was now nothing more than a speck on the Highwind. Her high-pitched cries grew fainter with distance. Cloud tried to scream, but the wind snatched his breath, so he closed his eyes to stem his fears and resigned himself to his fate. Time seemed to stand still and he thought of many things. His thoughts turned to Aerith   
  
"Will she be there to greet me when I'm dead?" Then he thought of Tifa "......a sealed up secret...... wish......Tender memories...... no one can ever know.........I'm sorry Tifa." Cloud opened his eyes and as he did, he saw a small crystalline sphere. The sunlight filtered through it creating a miniature rainbow as it fell on his left eye and he saw that it was liquid. "A single teardrop?…My promise! I have to try to keep it." He turned his body to face the world below and positioned himself for combat in defiance to his enemy. His opponent's teeth, the sharp jagged rocks of the massive earth, gleamed like some foul predator in anticipation of its cornered prey. Then, a white flash blinded his eyes and total darkness took over. 


	3. Chapter 3: The Truth of the Past

Chapter 3 The Truth of the Past  
  
Cloud wearily opened his eyes. "I'm still alive?" He said aloud, quite surprised that he survived a fall from such a great height even through sheer determination. Slowly, he got up to his feet and checked his surroundings. The floor was a web of complex structures of metal plating and air vents and In front of him stood several rows of bipedal machines, each mounted with automatic rifles. " I must be inside some kind of military facility, but how?" As he gazed skyward, he noticed a huge structure, which was very familiar to him. "That huge Cannon, I'm in Junon…. But….that cannon was destroyed by Weapon in Midgar. Yet here it stands now."  
  
"Does that surprise you Cloud?" A gentle female voice inquired. Although he was rarely surprised by the events that transpired around him, the voice seemed strangely recognizable. Cloud's eyes widened as he turned abruptly towards the direction of the voice and there before him stood a petite figure clad in a Shinra soldier's uniform. "And how is it that you know my name?" Cloud questioned the soldier skeptically, while carefully studying her appearance. "I know a lot about you Cloud. I know of the long journey you took and your many encounters with Shinra and of your deep hatred towards Sephiroth."   
  
Cloud jumped back, his hands instantly reaching for the hilt of his sword behind his back. "What? What happened to my sword?" And for a second, his eyes caught a glimpse of his own image reflected on the shiny metal armor of one of Shinra's bipedal monstrosities. He couldn't fathom what he saw, He was clad from the neck and down in the same Shinra uniform as the strange girl in front of him. His eyes were now riveted on his adversary who had drawn an assassin's dagger. With superhuman speed, she ran up towards him. Her knife-hand flashed for an instant and Cloud felt the cold steel of the knife resting against his neck. Never in all his life had he fought against any opponent who could move so fast and defeat him with so little effort even if he was weaponless. If she had been an ordinary soldier she couldn't have possibly succeeded with such a simple attack.  
  
"Hmm… now perhaps that chased some silly ideas out of your head." The female soldier said to him keeping the knife depressed to his neck which was now bleeding with a slight cut from the blade's sharp edges. "I bet you're a little bit surprised at how I did that…well….you'll find out in due time hee hee hee. All that you need to do now is to trust me and witness the truth with your eyes."   
  
"The truth? And what truth would you have me see?" Cloud asked the young woman. "You may have already realized this but this is your past or at least a part of it and that is why Shinra's symbol of power, that huge cannon the "Sister Ray" still stands. You saw with your own eyes how Weapon destroyed it." As she said this, she sheathed her knife, which she had been aiming at Cloud's neck. "Now perhaps you can trust me better. I could have killed you right there but I didn't. You can think of me as your guide inside this world for now." She removed her Shinra Soldier's helmet and Cloud saw that she was in fact a very beautiful young woman. She had emerald green eyes, golden hair and crimson red lips. Her eyes seemed innocent, sad and distant. At that moment, she looked quite fragile and weak despite the incredible skills she had just displayed. Strangely, she was wearing a tiara on her hair underneath the helmet.   
She looked deep into his blue mako-infused eyes and smiled brazenly. "I seem to have injured your neck. Hold still." The young soldier raised her right hand high into the air and gradually closed her eyes as if trying to meditate. The wind suddenly grew stronger and waves of green-colored light gathered around her in a spiral. She chanted some unintelligible words in a peculiar language and pointed her hand at Cloud. Almost instantly, the green waves of energy traveled towards him and he felt a sense of calm and relief. The queer spell immediately closed up his light neck wound, much to his surprise. "How is it that you can use a curative spell without any materia?" Asked Cloud. " I can't tell you right now, it's better if you find out the answer yourself."   
  
Their conversation was cut off by the sound of footsteps heading towards them. "That's Zack I'd better wear this. Just trust me ok?" She swiftly put on her helmet. "Yo Cloud! Get off your lazy ass we're moving out. Sephiroth himself will supervise us on this mission." Cloud immediately recognized Zack's voice. He beheld his friend wearing the proud battle gear of SOLDIER and an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia and loss swept over him. He felt that he could break down into tears at that very moment looking at his slain companion standing very much alive before him. Yet, tears were useless right now, he had to find some way to return to the present. "Yes sir! I left my helmet inside my locker. I'll go get it right now."   
  
"That's fine let's go together." Zack turned to the soldier standing next to Cloud. "You there. Come with us. I have to brief you two on the mission." The Soldier nodded. "Yes sir!" Disguising her voice to sound like a young man. As they walked together, Zack discussed the mission at hand. Cloud recognized this scene immediately. This is the time when Sephiroth ruthlessly burned down Nibelheim and slashed Tifa. "You say that I should trust you because you would be my guide here. Yet.. you seem so mysterious. I can't trust someone who won't even give me her name." He whispered to the petite female soldier. "It's Sirea" She whispered back. "Sirea huh? All right then Sirea, I'll play along with your little game. However, bear in mind that I still don't trust you completely." The soldier nodded and they both remained silent for the rest of the way to the locker rooms.   
  
Cloud's thoughts turned to his childhood friend Tifa. "I promised to always come along and protect her whenever she was in trouble. I wonder how you're doing right now Tifa. I seem to have traveled back in time into my own past. Whatever forces led me here, I feel as though I won't be able to come back for awhile. I met a strange girl named Sirea here. She claims to be on my side and that she would be my guide here. I feel no evil intent on her, yet I know better than to trust someone blindly. Perhaps there is still something that I must do here. Some… mystery that I must uncover. For now, I'll just have to work together with Sirea." 


	4. Chapter 4: Reminiscence

Chapter 4 Reminiscence  
Zack paced the floor restlessly stopping every now and then to do a squat or two. He seemed impervious to the vibrations of the crude truck, which they had been riding for hours. Sephiroth, on the other hand, was quietly leaning against one of the many wooden boxes on the far end of the truck. Lazily, Cloud rested his back against the metal walls. A feeling of nostalgia swept over him as the events of the past unfolded before his eyes.  
  
He glanced at Sephiroth who always had a calm air about him. His black attire contrasted perfectly with his fair complexion and silver hair. A silent assassin, by anyone's standards. A sense of determination, anger and sadness were burning inside his eyes all at once.  
  
"Heh.. The kind of guy you wouldn't want to get upset." Cloud whispered to himself though he knew deep inside that he would eventually have to fight this man who was once his role model. Just then, Sephiroth looked into his direction. Apparently, he had noticed that Cloud was staring at him for some time now. He gave a wicked smile and partly unsheathed his sword. This made the hairs on the back of Cloud's neck stand on end. The truth of his own words now weighed down upon him. "So Cloud? I believe this is your first actual combat mission. How does it feel?" Cloud breathed a sigh of relief. He had to avoid any violent confrontations for now until he found out why he was here in the first place. He felt reassured by the Shinra Helmet that shielded his face from Sephiroth's gaze. Sirea stood in a corner of the truck across Cloud also wearing a Shinra uniform. In the days that they had been travelling together, Cloud already felt at ease in her company.   
  
It had only been a few days since they left the Shinra stronghold of Junon on a mission to eradicate some monsters who were dangerously close to the town of Nibelheim and to investigate the Mako Reactor in that area. During their travel by ship, Sirea would strike up a conversation with Cloud every now and then giving him a little nudge and saying something like "Hey do you like me?" her eyes blinking innocently. Cloud would then scratch his head or stare off into space trying to figure out how to respond to that. Then Sirea would break into giggles and sport a wide grin, satisfied with herself. They often talked about their surroundings or Cloud's adventures during his pursuit of Sephiroth. However, whenever they reached the topic of Aerith's death, Sirea would turn around and walk away silently. Asking her about her own past or anything related to that was also useless since she just flat out refused to answer. Already Cloud felt a kind of brotherly love for this woman who claimed to be his guide in this strange state of existence, which he was now living in. He grew accustomed to Sirea's childish ways. She had a certain radiance about her, which would probably make her hard to resist for most men if not for the Shinra soldier's uniform and helmet that she always wore. To Cloud, Sirea was like the little sister that he never had, whom he had to protect, though he knew that her skills in battle were probably equal to Sephiroth's. To add to that, Sirea was also the only one who seemed like a real person to him. She was the only one who knew of the purpose of his presence in this dreamlike state. All the other people around including Zack and Sephiroth were like faceless puppets in a play that has been shown a hundred times, bound to act out their role in the stage of fate time and again.   
  
Despite all this, not a single day passed that he didn't think of Tifa. He would often talk to her in his thoughts while staring at the blue sky, telling her of the progress of his bizarre journey. He sometimes injected a little humor into his conversation like, "Hey Tif, whose boobs are bigger? Yours or Sirea's?" Then he'd imagine Tifa smiling like the devil while delivering a vicious roundhouse kick to the side of his head.   
  
"Okay Cloud look sharp here we go." Zack's voice interrupted his train of thought. Cloud watched as Zack leapt off the truck followed by Sirea. He remembered that this is where they squared off against the green dragon. Picking up his rifle, he hastily ran to Sirea's side. Sephiroth had already hacked off one of the beast's huge claws when Cloud arrived. Sirea aimed her rifle and fired a burst at its head, yet bullets could do little against a dragon's tough hide. Instantly, the dragon turned toward its new tormentors and lumbered forward with amazing speed considering its size. The beast let out a deafening roar and took a swipe at them with one of its undamaged claws. Cloud and Sirea both jumped back to avoid the attack. Zack, who was also standing in the dragon's path, took the full force of the attack with his sword. The blow sent him flying several feet before violently crashing to the ground. Zack's bleeding body lay on the ground motionless, his eyes glazed over. Sirea ran towards him and cast a healing spell, showering his body with green light, his wounds immediately began to close and the blood disappeared but he remained still. "It's not good Cloud, I've already closed his wounds, but at this rate he'll need to wake up on his own otherwise…" Sirea said while continuing to cast the healing spell on Zack. Cloud fired his rifle at the advancing green dragon, which now had murder in its eyes. Just then, sharp shards of ice began to form around the monsters body, tearing away at its skin. Cloud saw that Sephiroth had his eyes closed as if deep in thought. It was him who had cast the Ice3 spell. The ice dazed the dragon momentarily, Cloud eyed Zack's sword, which had landed only a few feet ahead of him. He knew that he had to make his move at this very moment while the monster was still recovering. Dropping his rifle, he made a dash toward the dragon grabbing the sword on his way. The dragon regained its senses and saw Cloud running toward it at deadly speed. It was clear even from the mind of an animal that this little creature armed with a sharp fang-like object was intent on killing it. In a last move of desperation, the dragon inhaled and spewed hot flames from its mouth and nostrils reducing to ashes everything in its path. Cloud rolled on the ground avoiding the deadly blaze but not without picking up a few burns despite the thick uniform that he wore. As he looked up, he saw the dragon's belly looming directly in front of him. "Level 2 sword technique Climhazzard!" and with that, Cloud buried his sword deep into the dragon's belly causing it to writhe in pain. The dragon's howl of agony woke up Zack just in time to see some soldier rising swiftly and slashing the dragon's body in half with his sword. Cloud landed safely on the ground in an acrobatic stance. He let out a sigh of relief as he saw the enemy's body split in half behind him and took off his helmet to wipe his sweat.  
  
"Cloud! Wow! Cool move man! I can't believe you split that thing in two. Are you alright?" At that moment, Cloud looked deep into Zack's eyes, which were very much like his own, having acquired the same pale bluish color that came from mako infusion. He turned to Sephiroth who was cleaning his Masamune sword with a soft cloth. Sephiroth saw him and gave a nod of approval. "Good job Cloud." He heard the high-pitched female voice and saw Sirea smiling and giving him a thumbs-up sign. A realization hit him. The people in this past world weren't mere actors put here to play a role in a drama that already had a definite script. They were human beings just as he was and they were struggling to live at this very moment just like him and Sirea.  
  
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(Refer to Cloud's past in Chapter 6)  
  
After that incident, things went on as they had happened before. The party made their way to Mt. Nibel to investigate the mako reactor with Tifa as their guide. Cloud kept his identity hidden from Tifa as he had done before. There was no need to involve the Tifa from this time. On their return to Nibelheim, Sephiroth began to act strangely and entered the Shinra Mansion, as predicted. This time, Cloud decided to take matters into his own hands. He had asked to borrow Zack's sword just moments before and Zack reluctantly agreed. Sirea said that he should be here only to witness the truth with his own eyes, yet he couldn't bear to experience this massacre a second time.  
  
On that day, Cloud stood before the large abandoned mansion in Nibelheim. Still donning his Shinra costume, he held his weapon strongly, in anticipation of the fierce battle ahead. Sirea had made no move to stop him. So there he stood… a lone figure standing defiantly against the hands of time and fate. 


	5. Chapter 5: Two Warriors

Chapter 5 Two Warriors  
  
Flames erupted high above the Shinra mansion consuming everything in its path. Dark smoke filled the evening sky forming a shadow of death over the peaceful town of Nibelheim. Everywhere, people fled from the fire taking what little belongings they could save. Some fell to their knees and wept at the loss of their homes or loved ones that the inferno has claimed.  
  
Cloud readied his sword. Years of pent up anger and frustration were about to be unleashed. Sure enough in the middle of the burning ruins of the huge mansion, there was Sephiroth. A few of the villagers ran towards him to ask for help, but they all fled when they saw him slashing anything and anyone who got in his way. Some of them had already fallen before his blade.  
  
"That's enough Sephiroth! I'm going to end this senseless carnage right now!" Cloud took off his helmet and threw it at his adversary. Sephiroth sliced the projectile in two and Cloud saw that his eyes were wide with malice and madness. Clutching his sword, Cloud dashed toward his opponent. Sephiroth let his shoulders and arms hang loosely and moved forward slowly at first. Then, letting his body weight fall to the front, he broke into a running charge to answer Cloud's challenge. Waves of pure energy showered the two swordsmen as their weapons clashed. In terms of skill and strength, they were evenly matched. A smile crossed Sephiroth's lips. He leapt back as one of the materia set in his left armlet emitted a faint glow. Recognizing the attack pattern right away, Cloud raised his sword to protect himself just as the Fire3 spell exploded in front of him. After the smoke had cleared, a look of shock registered in Sephiroth's face as he saw that his victim was unharmed. Seeing his chance, Cloud jumped high into the air, the deadly edge of his sword sparkled in flight as he prepared to deliver the deathblow. "No one can survive this, not even you Sephiroth! You won't only be facing my sword, but also the magnified weight of my body as gravity pulls me to the ground." Even as Cloud had said this, he noticed something new forming behind Sephiroth. A dark transparent shadow seemed to be engulfing his entire body. Suddenly as his weapon neared its target, countless tentacle-like projections, snaked from the shadowy spectre, which seemed to draw its power from Sephiroth. Cloud's vision blurred and he lost his grip on his sword as the tentacles hit his body each carrying the force of a well-executed whiplash. Sephiroth laughed in satisfaction as he saw the body of his opponent tumble lifelessly into the ground. Quickly regaining consciousness, Cloud's eyes suddenly flung wide open, he knew he was in trouble. He saw his sword lying a short distance away from him and he ran toward it in a desperate attempt to reclaim his weapon. Cloud now saw how badly injured he was, his clothes were torn and covered in his own blood and his body felt numb all over, his legs gave in and he crashed forward violently. As the adrenaline kicked in, he crawled the last few feet to his weapon only to see Sephiroth running towards him. Sephiroth's Masamune was back in its sheath and he was in a classic Samurai pose. Cloud closed his eyes, knowing that in a few moments he would feel the cold touch of steel slicing through his neck as his head separated from the rest of his body. Then, as if he was put into a trance, Sephiroth registered a blank expression and stopped dead in his tracks. Turning around, he walked slowly to the far exit leading to Mt. Nibel leaving the town of Nibelheim to its fate.   
  
As Cloud's body returned to its normal state, he felt the full intensity of the injuries that Sephiroth's bizarre shadowy minion had inflicted on him. He couldn't move his body at all. The heat of the flames surrounding Nibelheim now felt dangerously close. A million different questions entered his mind. Why couldn't he beat Sephiroth? What was that weird shadow that attacked him? Would he ever return to his own time? Still, all these questions had to wait. For now, he needed to concentrate on getting as far away from this raging inferno as his body would allow. Then, a pair of gentle hands caught hold of him and softly moved him away from the blazes. The intensity slowly drained away from his face and he gave in to sleep.  
  
Little by little, Cloud awakened to be greeted by pair of emerald green eyes, which were very much familiar to him. His body was bathed in a healing light as a pair of hands slowly traveled over him. His vision was still unclear, but he didn't need them much in this situation. Grasping the hand of his savior, he softly spoke "…Umm… Thanks for saving me… Aerith."  
  
Sirea had witnessed the entirety of the battle between Cloud and Sephiroth. Seeing Cloud in peril, she quickly rushed to his aid, taking him away from the flames. Cloud had fallen asleep in her arms and she saw that he was bleeding with gashes and deep wounds all over his body. As she cast the cure spell on him, a serene expression entered his face. Opening his eyes, she heard him call her for the first time by her old name Aerith.   
  
As Cloud regained full consciousness, he saw that the woman whom he mistook for Aerith was actually Sirea. Yet, there was no mistaking those eyes. Before he could speak, Sirea stopped him. "Hush… Cloud. It's me Aerith. Rest for now, you're exhausted." Sirea let her hand cover the front of his eyes. "Let your mind relax, all will be made clear." So Cloud did as instructed and as he did so, faint images entered his vision. Drawn from his mind's eye, the dream became more vivid and he watched as the lives of countless men, the memories of the planet spanning billions of years were revealed to him. 


	6. Chapter 6: Dreams of the Planet

Chapter 6 Dreams of the Planet  
  
(More information on the Cetra and some of the events in this chapter can be found in-game.)  
  
In the days before Midgar, Nibelheim, Junon and all the other towns and cities of this dying world were established, there lived a race of beings known as the Cetra. Their knowledge surpassed normal human beings and each of them had the natural ability to harness the planet's spirit energy producing the effect called magic. Slowly, as the history of the world was being written, the Cetra began to disappear taking with them their advanced knowledge and culture. Evidence of this dead civilization can be found in the crystallized form of the planet's spirit energy called Materia, which temporarily allows the user to gain the knowledge of the Ancients or Cetra.  
  
One of the most famous figures among the Cetra was named Sardius. He was a scientist studying the natural defense of the planet called "Weapon." These creatures were huge. Each of them were about the size of a 20-storey building and they functioned pretty much like antibodies. Whenever the planet was endangered, Weapon would emerge to eradicate the immediate threat. Sardius found a way to imprison the enormous energy of Weapon into a small dark gem. When worn by an individual close to the body, the gem functioned like Materia, bestowing its wearer with the enormous destructive power of Weapon. Sardius believed that this gem was the key to open the gate to the Promised Land, which all the Cetra sought. However, during a failed experiment, the Weapon contained within the gem of Sardius was released killing its captor and wreaking havoc throughout the land. The Cetra used their magical skills to seal the artificially altered Weapon deep within the lifestream of the planet. This Weapon, named after the dark gem which Sardius had created was called the Onyx Weapon  
  
With the death of Sardius, his work was long forgotten and remembered only in stories and fairytales, told to little children telling of the magical stone of power. Long after the days of ancients the tales of Sardius slowly faded away, leaving no trace of his legacy in the history of civilization.   
  
The power of Sardius however, was not meant to be forgotten. It was 26 years ago up to the present time, when Professor Hojo who was working for Shinra first came upon the research documents of Sardius inside some long forgotten ruins. Through the advanced knowledge of the ancients, the documents were in mint condition and were free from signs of deterioration or decay even after thousands of years. Fascinated by the information contained within the documents, Professor Hojo took them to the basement of the large mansion inside Nibelheim, which was occupied by Shinra at that time. There, Hojo performed a number of experiments and tried to reenact the ritual used to create the legendary gem. Much to Hojo's dismay the process wasn't meant to be carried out by ordinary human beings and his experiments yielded nothing.   
  
Frustrated, Hojo set the documents along with his failed experiments aside, storing them deep within the basement of the mansion. Once again, the knowledge of Sardius had been sealed away.  
  
5 years ago, Hojo's biological son Sephiroth, arrived in the town of Nibelheim with a SOLDIER named Zack and some Shinra Soldiers. Cloud Strife was among them. After investigating the Mako Reactor on Mt. Nibel, Sephiroth was shocked to discover his true origins as the product of one of Hojo's demented experiments. Sephiroth then descended into the Shinra Mansion and studied the books contained there day by day learning much of the ways of the Cetra. It was there that once again the documents of Sardius were uncovered. Sephiroth performed the ritual to recreate the gem of Sardius in the depths of the mansion planning to use it to redeem mankind and believing that destruction is the gate to the Promised Land. Then, the Onyx Weapon was awakened from its long slumber within the lifestream. Sephiroth looked with fear as the being rose before him, its humanoid body was a dark shadow that engulfed its crimson red eyes. Upon completing the ritual, the Onyx Weapon dissipated and the remnants of its shadowy form were slowly absorbed into Sephiroth being physically one of the Cetra since he was injected with the cells of Jenova as an infant. The second gem of Sardius was then formed inside Sephiroth's body.  
  
Satisfied with the results, Sephiroth emerged from the mansion to test his newfound powers setting the town of Nibelheim in flames. During this disaster, Cloud's mother was killed. Zack and Tifa followed Sephiroth to Mount Nibel where Tifa discovered her father's murdered body. She rushed at Sephiroth in rage. At this time, Tifa was slashed by Sephiroth and Zack was injured trying to protect Tifa. Cloud stepped forward to confront Sephiroth, but he was stabbed in the chest with the Masamune. Cloud grabbed the sword stuck in his chest and raised it high throwing Sephiroth into the depths of the Mako Reactor and fulfilling his promise to protect Tifa. The gem of Sardius broke into two fragments to protect itself. The second fragment attached itself into Cloud who came in contact with Sephiroth's sword. Now, the gem was shattered in two. Sephiroth and Cloud's fates were intertwined. As long as the two existed, the gem would be whole.  
  
Sometime after these events, Sephiroth assimilated the knowledge of the ancients in the lifestream, strengthening the power of Sardius inside him. Cloud and Zack, tired of being used as human guinea pigs in Shinra's attempts to recreate Sephiroth escaped to the gates of Midgar to become mercenaries, where Zack was shot to death while defending Cloud from pursuing Shinra troops. Cloud who was left alone to die, took Zack's sword and memories with him as he continued into Midgar. Unknown to Cloud, Zack and Aerith, whom he would later meet were actually romantically inclined. (The game starts at this point.)  
  
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These events led to the time of Aerith's death at the hands of Sephiroth who considered her a threat to his plans. With Aerith's death, the Cetra race was lost forever. However, Aerith being a Cetra found that her life-force refused to be lost as quickly as ordinary men in the lifestream. Wandering for an eternity in loneliness, Aerith absorbed the knowledge of the Ancients in combat, magic and of course, the story of Sardius. Now, she had sufficient knowledge to prevent the fall of Meteor, the ultimate magic summoned by Sephiroth to purge the planet and open the gate to the Promised Land. Still, this knowledge was useless to her as a lifeless ectoplasm.  
  
In this world within the lifestream, the different realities of time overlapped each other and the memories and cries of all the people who have lived and died on the planet echoed out in unison. Somewhere along her journey, a weak and almost inaudible cry among the sea of voices caught her attention. Her spiritual form was drawn to the source of the feeble sound. As her psyche neared the voice, almost as if it was calling her. Aerith was moved to tears, if she had any left to shed, by the sight that she saw before her. A hazy scene began to materialize depicting a little girl about six years old kneeling solemnly before a small chapel. It looked exactly like the Sector 7 Church where she once grew the only flowers inside Midgar's polluted soil, except that in this scene, it was at the peak of its splendor. Its floors were exquisitely polished and the sunlight filtered through its stained glass windows causing the divine images etched within them to fall on the center of the sacred structure. The altar was decorated with beautiful flowers more glamorous than anything that she ever grew during her short life. Yet, her heart was heavy as she saw the little girl coughing violently while kneeling in faith before God.  
  
A small frail voice escaped the little girl's lips. Her prayer was simple yet it could touch the hearts of more men, than some shallow external display of facial attractiveness. "Dear God… please help my Mommy. She's been crying everyday for weeks and weeks y' know. Maybe she's sad because dad doesn't visit her from Heaven anymore. She used to tell me that dad talks to her often from Heaven. Is Heaven a place that's really far away? I never even saw my dad. But I don't feel bad because mommy is with me and she says that daddy is very happy in Heaven. So that's why I want you to help my mommy. I know that people cry because they feel really bad, I don't want my mommy to feel bad." Tears streamed down her face as she continued. " You know God? I heard the doctor tell mom that I had an incurable disease and that's why I cough so much. He said that I'm dying. I know what dying means… It means that I'm going to Heaven too. It's all right for me to go to Heaven because I know that daddy will be waiting there for me. But… I know that mommy will be very lonely and sad… please God please help her."  
  
Moved with pity for the small child, Aerith appeared before her. The little girl was startled but she showed no fear of the apparition. "Are you God? Wow! I didn't know that God was such a pretty lady."   
  
"No dear… I'm not God. I'm one of his angels." And so, Aerith formed a contract with the child and their souls were merged in a symbiotic existence. The little girl was Sirea.  
  
Sirea surprised the doctors with her rapid recovery from the brink of death. She grew up to be a happy, energetic and contented child who brought joy to the hearts of other people with her mere presence. Her mother saw her recovery as nothing short of a miracle granted by some divine existence to her angelic little girl. Aerith learned that this utopian world filled with color, wonder and goodwill existed 500 years before her birth. Instead of dominating her body, Aerith chose to coexist with Sirea sharing with her all the adventure and hardships that she experienced in her lifetime. A dark void created by her loneliness was replaced with warmth inside her by Sirea's companionship.   
  
Upon reaching her 12th birthday, Sirea's mother gave her a lovely silver tiara with a single white gem at the center to celebrate the sixth anniversary of her recovery and she treasured this gift, wearing it like a princess wherever she went. Unknown to Sirea, her mother's health was gradually failing. She now led a double life and would often practice in secret the arcane knowledge that Aerith had given her. Finally, when she was 17, Sirea's mother passed away peacefully, joining the souls of the planet in the lifestream.   
  
She felt sad, but Sirea had lived a serene and happy life with her mother for many long years. Wiping her tears away, she decided that it was time to repay the person who gave her a second chance to live. By this time, she had already mastered the arts of combat and magic. A fierce wind blew around her while she closed her eyes in meditation. A runic symbol appeared beneath her feet, which were now barely touching the ground as the spell took effect.   
  
The lifestream harbors many secrets and while Sirea had already lived for 17 years, in the era where Aerith originally came from, only a few months had passed since her death. She had planned to physically transport herself to this time period through the recollections that she shared with Cloud. However, Cloud's mind was filled with many invisible barriers brought about by his guilt of seeing Zack and Aerith murdered before him. Thus, his dreams were filled with disturbing visions as his psychological defenses constantly refused to accept Sirea's pleas. Finally, as the Highwind flew near the town of Mideel, the condensed Spiritual Energy from the town's abandoned Mako Reactor amplified Sirea's spell allowing it to penetrate Cloud's psychological walls. But, the teleportation process was corrupted by his continued resistance and Cloud and Sirea were transported to a world made up of reality and Cloud's memories from five years ago. And so began Cloud's journey five years into the past. 


	7. Chapter 7: Farewell Aerith

Chapter 7 Farewell…Aerith  
  
The vision now broke off into many threads of moving images, each of them portraying the life of an individual that divided into more threads as with each decision that the individual made, new possibilities were born or lost in a split-second. The images moved faster and faster, swirling about in a vortex of thoughts. Then, a bright light overwhelmed everything and all was still.  
  
As the dream slowly faded away from Cloud's consciousness, he opened his eyes softly, realizing that he was already on his feet. Sirea was there, smiling and standing patiently in front of him. Strangely enough, he was still clutching Zack's sword in his right hand. He sheathed the sharp weapon and clasped Sirea's hands. "Aerith… forgive me. Back then, I let you die right in front of my eyes. I couldn't protect you. It must have been painful…" Still, Sirea kept smiling at him, showing no trace of hostility or doubt in her expression "Let's go Cloud. It's time to destroy the Jewel of Sardius, to destroy the Onyx Weapon!" Cloud, could only nod in approval at her request.  
  
Sirea drew a circle around herself on a small patch of soft soil with an intricately designed metallic staff that she seemed to have plucked out of mid-air. "I've prepared the spell. From this world within your psyche, we'll enter the realm of the Onyx Weapon where the dark jewel exists as one between your soul and Sephiroth's." Cloud stepped into the circle with Sirea and suddenly, a shimmering blue light shot up from the ground where the circle was drawn. The light slowly enveloped them as it gradually grew in intensity until it obscured all that were outside the magical circle. Cloud glanced at Sirea for a moment. Her eyes were closed as she focused all her thoughts into the teleportation magic. She had shed her Shinra Uniform and Cloud couldn't help thinking of how cute she looked in her light pink dress with a thick scarlet armored vest and two silver armlets to protect her shoulders.  
  
"Hmmm… is that supposed to be a battle dress?" Cloud whispered into the air. His cheeks flushed red when Sirea suddenly opened one of her eyes and caught him gawking at her. She smiled and gave him a coquettish wink.  
  
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Before long, the magical light diffused into the ground leaving Cloud and Sirea deep within the realm of the dark jewel. Rocky formations protruded everywhere in this vast wasteland. Though it was dark, the sky offered an eerie light, which filtered through its unnatural multihued atmosphere. "Right there Cloud! That's our goal." Sirea was pointing at a large crystalline object shimmering in the distance at the peak of a small hill not too far from where they stood.  
  
  
  
They approached the hill cautiously, their weapons drawn and ready for battle. Then, Sirea who was walking in front came to a sudden halt.  
  
"Just a minute Cloud. I forgot to tell you. When I allowed you to look into my memories, I also gave you a portion of my powers. You can use magic without materia now, but only the ones that you've already learned and you need to be somewhere within my vicinity." No sooner had she said this, when countless beams of laser-like intensity suddenly showered them from multiple directions. Cloud deflected most of the beams with his sword, though a few gave him some light burns on his arms. Sirea evaporated the ones aimed at her with a wave of her staff. A large group of bipedal creatures just a little taller than an average human being, with stone-like skin and stout structures emerged from the shadows of the base of the hill. Each of them had two rows of funnel-shaped protrusions on their bodies, which was the source of the deadly lasers. The creatures advanced on them steadily while inaccurately shooting their beam weapons and emitting deep throaty growls. Cloud dodged the next barrage of laser beams and released a flare spell on the nearest monster. As the smoke cleared, the creature continued its advance unharmed. Just then, Sirea jumped forward and swung her staff at the monsters head. The blow connected and the head crumbled into countless pieces, while the rest of its body collapsed and tumbled into the ground breaking into a mass of lifeless rock. "They're immune to magic, but not to a good bash on the head." Sirea smirked and gloated over her handiwork. Following Sirea's example, Cloud rushed at the horde of monsters and slashed wildly with his sword. Most of them fled and only a brave handful remained when they saw this raving lunatic, who was killing off two to four of their kind with each blow. "Clear a path to the jewel!" Sirea yelled out as she threw herself into the battle.  
  
The terrain was rough nearing the foot of the hill as Cloud and Sirea finished off the last of the rock-like beings. Upon closer inspection, the hill had a natural spiral ramp that made it easier to reach the top. Cloud turned around and saw Sirea casting another spell. In the blink of an eye, a transparent triangular shaped wall had encased the entire hill.   
  
"Hey what did you do?" Cloud asked.  
  
  
  
"Can't risk having those things follow us here. I've made a barrier magically sealing this whole area. It should hold them off until we can destroy that jewel. Then… we're outta here!" Sirea replied. Cloud couldn't help feeling just a little bit used as they slowly ascended the hill. "Nah… she's been through enough already. I'll just do what I have to do and return home safely. I can't let Tifa worry too much about me." Taking the lead he hastened his pace, and ran swiftly across the spiral path.  
  
"Wait!… Huff… Puff… Wait I say!" Sirea protested as she tried desperately to keep up with Cloud's pace. The figure of Aerith standing within Sirea flashed into Cloud's mind for a second. "What's wrong? I thought you were the master of combat and magical arts here?" Cloud said jokingly.  
  
  
  
"Ooooh… you're terrible!" was Sirea's agitated reply. They walked slowly now as they neared the peak of the mountain where the dark jewel was clearly visible. It was as large as a small house and it possessed an evocative and peculiar beauty as it glimmered in the maddening light of the troubled skies.   
  
The tension mounted as their common goal came closer with each step. Though usually not one to engage in small talk, Cloud chose to break the anxiety by starting a conversation with Sirea. He had much to talk about since his mind had been filled with questions ever since he met her.   
  
"Sirea, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Shoot Cloud."  
  
"What are your body measurements?"  
  
Cloud was answered by sharp slap to the side of his face that awakened all the nerves on that particular part of his body.  
  
"Ahem.. anymore questions Cloudie?" Sirea said in a sickeningly sweet tone.  
  
  
  
"Well… seriously, what would happen if we destroyed the gem of Sardius?"   
  
Sirea paused to think for a moment and then she answered. "Sephiroth summoned Meteor using the black materia to cleanse the people of this planet and in doing so, open the gate to the Promised Land. Of course, we can't allow this to happen. As Aerith, I had the means to stop Meteor using the white materia containing the Holy magic. But… as you already know, the white materia was lost when Sephiroth killed me. As I traveled through the lifesteam, I found an alternate way to stop Meteor. You see, all of Sephiroth's magic stems from his connection with the gem of Sardius. So if the gem is destroyed, Meteor would burn itself out on the atmosphere of the planet with no magic to guide its path. Sephiroth would also lose most of his powers."  
  
"So why did you need me here?"  
  
"The gem can only be destroyed by the gem itself. In this case, you Cloud are one half of the gem. That means that you have the ability to destroy it."  
  
"So the gem is a part of me, I learned that in the dream. What happens to me after we destroy it?"  
  
"Probably nothing… In the worst case, a splitting headache for a few days, since you never used the power of Sardius unlike Sephiroth."  
  
"What are those things that attacked us?"  
  
"Everything that you can see here is a product of your own and Sephiroth's negative emotions. The gem of Sardius uses them to create a natural protection for itself within this world."   
  
  
  
"What about…" but before Cloud could finish his inquiry, Sirea interrupted him. "Ahem… I've been really patient answering all of your questions so far Cloud. Now it's my turn to ask you a question." She smiled coyly before continuing. "Do you know what I thought of you when we first met?"  
  
"As Aerith or as Sirea?" Cloud said, playing along with her.  
  
"Sirea."  
  
"No… I don't and… I don't really care."  
  
"I thought you were a total idiot the way you wandered around aimlessly and let your mouth hang open when you saw that cannon in Junon. You even groped around clumsily for your sword when I greeted you. Still… you were a little cute."  
  
"Oh yeah? Well you gave me a heart attack when you suddenly appeared out of nowhere and somehow knew my name. I get the same feeling every time I'm near Sephiroth. I thought you might be him in disguise and you confirmed my suspicions when you attacked me suddenly with that knife. You were like a messenger of death when you said 'I will be your guide' " Cloud said while trying to imitate Sirea.   
  
At this, Sirea started laughing uncontrollably and Cloud joined her. For a moment they were both completely unaware of their situation and were off their guard. A snake like projection sprung from the ground and made a small cut on Sirea's left foot before she could react. Instantly, both fighters backed away and tried to find the attacker. They didn't have to look far, because the thing whatever it was, stood only ten feet away from where they were. Its body was dark and decorated with countless sharp spikes. It was a little bit shorter, though obviously more powerful than the previous monsters that they had encountered. It was humanoid and each of its arms had three large claws on its hands. "Looks like this guy is the boss around here." Cloud whispered.  
  
"Yeah and if it has the same properties as the ones we fought before, magic will be useless. I say we attack first." Sirea responded.  
  
"Agreed."  
  
Without a second thought, Sirea dashed toward the creature with Cloud following behind her. Sharp tentacles sprouted from the monster's body toward its attackers. Twirling her staff Sirea easily deflected the assault. Cloud took a swipe with his sword and cut off the tentacles causing the monster to whine in agony. Suddenly, a green shaft of light erupted from its mouth. Sirea dodged left and jumped skyward. "Here's where you pay for what you did to my foot!" She yelled as she raised her staff and struck the monster cleanly on its head with all her strength.  
  
"What?" Sirea screamed in terror as she saw that her blow didn't even make a dent on the creature. The monster grabbed her by the throat. She gasped for air and a look of shock registered in her face as it stabbed her through the chest with its other clawed hand.  
  
Cloud watched in horror as the monster withdrew its claws from Sirea's limp body. Her blood dripped from tips of the beast's huge claws and stained her dress. He charged at the enemy as tears of rage filled his eyes. Mercilessly, he hacked away with his sword, but he couldn't pierce the thing's seemingly impregnable skin. The monster struck his face with inhuman strength sending him tumbling to the ground. He scrambled back to his feet and rushed into battle and again, after landing a few hits with his sword, he was hurled to the ground by the force of the monster's deadly claws.   
  
Blood gushed forth from his forehead as the pressure from the impact of the blows he had taken escaped his body. Ignoring the pain, he once again resumed his relentless assault, but his efforts yielded him naught. While, the stamina was slowly draining away from his body, his opponent didn't even have a scratch to show from the struggle.  
  
Though she had received a mortal wound, Sirea kept her consciousness and she saw Cloud fighting desperately against the clawed demon. She gritted her teeth in agony as a sharp churning pain ran through her stomach. Raising her hand as high as she could, she found the strength to use one last technique. "Cloud… let you're anger be forged into new strength…Fury Brand!" And rays of silver light traveled from her delicate fingers to Cloud. As the light hit his body, he instantly felt reenergized. He knelt down and bowed his head low. Just as the beast prepared to strike him down once again, his speed and strength were multiplied ten-fold and he let loose with a barrage of slashes. The monster was knocked backwards with each strike. At first, it seemed as if the attack could do nothing more than make it step back. Then, small jagged rock-like pieces of debris flew with each slash, indicating that the monster's skin was not invulnerable. It let out an agonized howl as Cloud continued to butcher its body. Countless blades of light now followed through with each slash that he inflicted until the monster was reduced to a pile of rubble. Still, he kept on slashing until all that was left of his enemy was a fine black powder.  
  
Having calmed down, Cloud rushed over to Sirea who was half-conscious lying in a pool of her own blood. He quickly cast the fullcure magic. He felt relieved as the color returned to Sirea's face while the healing aura encircled her body and closed up her wound. "That was… careless of me." She managed to say before drifting off to sleep.  
  
While Sirea slept, Cloud kept a vigilant watch on her. She looked hauntingly beautiful with the eerie natural light falling softly on her fair skin that made her full cherry lips stand out. When she finally awakened, Cloud was there, still standing guard over her. The blood on his face had began to dry and crack.  
  
"Thanks for saving me…I guess we're even now." She spoke softly as she got up to her feet.  
  
"Yeah… you had me worried there for a second, are you alright now?"  
  
Sirea smiled mischievously and released a cure spell on Cloud's face. "Stupid! You're injured and you didn't even notice."   
  
"It's time… let's destroy the dark jewel and end everything." But even as Cloud had said this, he heard the sound of many large footsteps moving closer toward them. Then, from the darkness of the path ahead, six clawed monsters that looked identical to the one that they previously defeated came forward. It wasn't long before the monsters completely surrounded them as the foul beings prepared to deliver the coup de grace. Sirea began to chant. "The power of the eternal cosmos, Meteor 2!" A meteor shower rained from the heavens. The large projectiles exploded as soon as they came in contact with anything. The monsters were struck down by the force of the impact, but their bodies remained unharmed.  
  
"Yeow!" Cloud exclaimed as a stray meteor hit the ground and exploded dangerously close to him. "Cloud! Run for it." Sirea shouted at him over the deafening waves of meteor explosions. So they ran back down the spiral path. The monsters were still confused by the non-elemental magic that rained down on them and they didn't notice Cloud and Sirea escaping from their death circle.   
  
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Halfway down the spiral path, Sirea collapsed, so Cloud took her inside a natural cavern that he found on the face of the hill. As he laid her down to rest a small sparkling object fell into his hand. "Oh it fell out…You can have it Cloud. It came from this." Sirea pointed to the silver adornment that she wore on her head. She always wore that tiara and it seemed so natural on her hair that Cloud had forgotten all about it. "My mother gave me this Tiara when I was 12, I guess I grew really attached to it. Now, I always wear it to remind me of her. It feels like she's always protecting me." Then she fell into his arms  
  
"I'm sorry about this Cloud… I guess I lost too much blood." Sirea mumbled weakly.  
  
"Hush… you need to rest now." Cloud answered while softly cradling her in his arms. They looked deep into each other's eyes and time seemed to stand still for a moment. Neither one of them spoke as they were lost in each other's gaze. Finally, Sirea broke the silence. "Umm… Cloud?… Would you give me a…kiss?"  
  
"What?" Cloud said surprised, but as he looked at Sirea, her eyes almost pleading him, he closed his eyes and slowly positioned his lips to meet hers.  
  
"No!" She screamed suddenly and Cloud drew back. "I.. I mean.. it's all right Cloud. I think I've regained some of my strength now… besides, we need to get out of here." Cloud was suddenly aware of their situation. The ominous growling of a thousand demonic beings could be heard directly below them and from above, the thunderous footsteps of the clawed beings grew louder.  
  
"So did those things from before break through the barrier?" He asked her.  
  
"Yeah… I guess it couldn't hold them for long." And suddenly she rose up and looking at Cloud with a firm resolve she said. "I've exhausted all my strength. it's over. We couldn't destroy the jewel after all. I'll use the last of my powers to send you back to your world."  
  
"No! Don't! Aerith please listen to me." He called her by her old name now, but before he could finish, Sirea had already cast the teleport spell on him. The blue light began to engulf him once again. He tried to go after Sirea but she held out her staff strongly in front of him. "Don't follow me Cloud! While the spell takes effect, I'll distract those monsters and buy you enough time to get out of here."  
  
"No! You can't Aerith I…"   
  
"Don't say it Cloud. Do you remember when Zack died fighting for you on the outskirts of Midgar? When you reached Midgar alive, you were taking on Zack's memories and personality. When we first met, you weren't yourself. Still, living on a false memory, you fell in love with me as Zack. But… I knew from the moment I first saw you Cloud. I… fell in love with you… twice. Once as Aerith and when we met again, as Sirea." And with that, Sirea turned away and strode slowly towards the horde of oncoming monsters.  
  
As Cloud stood there engulfed by the blue light of the teleportation magic, he heard Sirea yell suddenly. "Hey Cloud! I never told you my full name. It's Strife… Sirea Strife." Cloud was beside himself with disbelief. So this girl was actually his ancestor from 500 years ago. He noted that there were actually many similarities between them. Her blonde hair, her strong personality, Why couldn't he notice these things before? Perhaps that was the reason why they could get along so well. Then as Cloud recovered from the shock, he realized that he might never see Sirea again. Once again, he tried to step out of the magic circle, but it was too late. The light had already grown to such an intensity that it created a barrier of energy between him and the outside world.   
  
As if Sirea could read his thoughts she called out to him for the last time. "Don't worry Cloud. We'll meet again…someday." And as the magical light began to dim the vision of Sirea fading farther into the distance, Cloud caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure walking beside her. It was Zack, though the sight grew fainter, the figure was unmistakably Zack. Then, the apparition stopped and turned to face him. A thin smile crossed its lips as if it was trying to reassure him and then it was gone. Sirea was alone again as she strode out to meet her fate. The teleportation magic was now complete and the overwhelming light concealed everything from Cloud's view. She was gone and only the small white jewel that he held in his hand was left.  
  
"You came into my life so suddenly. Our adventure was short, but I'll always cherish these memories wherever my path should lead me. You may not realize this… but you were the key to release me from my inner prisons. These feelings that I locked away inside me for so long, that at times, they seemed like a distant dream to me. Those brief moments that we'd relax and talk together… you were shining, far brighter than the countless stars of the galaxy and more powerful than the Dark Jewel could ever be. Thank you  
  
…Aerith  
  
……………………………..Aerith."  
  
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The young man softly closed the covers of the aged book. From his pocket, he took out a small white jewel that his grandfather had given him long ago. A strange feeling of reminiscence overcame him as he stared deep into the multi-faceted stone. The trance was broken when a familiar female voice startled him. "Hah! I knew you'd be here Cloud, you always liked this place even when we were kids. You should get out more often and practice some self-defense like me…Hyah!" Said the woman as she pretended to punch him. "Well not all of us can be martial arts experts like you Tifa." He replied mockingly.  
  
  
  
"Whatever. Whatever. Anyway, I came here to tell you that your sister is waiting for you outside. We promised to watch the stars together today remember?"   
  
"Yikes! I forgot all about that." He said while carefully pocketing the gem. They walked out of the mansion and it was already dark outside. "You spent all day in there didn't you? What were you doing down there anyway?" she asked.  
  
"Oh nothing Tifa… just snooping around like I always do."  
  
"Whatever you say, hey look there's your sister."   
  
The young man saw the little girl waving frantically at them. She was standing on the playground area of the town where the three of them often played together under the moonlight.   
  
"Big brother Cloud! Tifa! Come here quick! Look! Look! A shooting star. Isn't it pretty?"  
  
"Yes…it's beautiful…Sirea."  
  
The End  
  
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Disclaimer  
  
"Final Fantasy VII" and all related characters, names etc. are copyrighted by Squaresoft. I am in no way affiliated with anyone from Squaresoft. This fanfic can only be found on rdreamers.topcities.com and fanfiction.net for now. If you wish to post this fic on your website, please feel free to do so. I wrote this fic only as a hobby, so I don't care where the heck it ends up. However, I do take pride in my work so if you plan to plagiarize my work… THINK TWICE! Because I will do everything in my power to track you down and milk you for everything you own through legal and illegal means. "Final Fantasy VII: Jewel of Destiny" written by Cloud^. So... whaddaya think? (the whole world is a critic.) I've divided this fic into separate chapters at last. Oh and I added a few lines on chapter 1 to make the whole love story thing consistent too. 


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